Benedictine spread
Photo: Valereee · CC0

History

Jennie Carter Benedict opened a Louisville catering kitchen in 1893 and a downtown tea room called Benedict's around 1900, where she developed Benedictine spread to fill cucumber sandwiches. Her original recipe combined cream cheese, cucumber juice, onion juice, salt, cayenne pepper and a slight amount of green food colouring. The spread was published in her 1902 cookbook and became a Louisville home-kitchen staple for over a century. Most pre-made versions still follow Benedict's recipe; modern chefs sometimes drop the food colouring.

Common allergens: Dairy, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 1Hands-on 15 minTotal 45 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
  • 230g cream cheese, softened
  • 1 small white onion, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 drop green food colouring (optional, traditional)
  • White bread, crusts trimmed, for sandwiches

Method

  1. Place the grated cucumber and onion in a clean tea towel and squeeze out as much liquid as possible, reserving the juice.
  2. In a bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth.
  3. Beat in the drained cucumber and onion, plus 1 tablespoon of the reserved juice.
  4. Season with salt and cayenne. Add the food colouring if using.
  5. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes for the flavours to settle.
  6. Spread on trimmed white bread; press together to make tea sandwiches. Cut into quarters or triangles.

Tip from the editors. Drain the cucumber thoroughly or the spread turns watery. Traditional Louisville recipes include the green food colouring; modern cooks often skip it.

Where to eat benedictine spread

Benedictine spread in Louisville

Wagner's Pharmacy ★ 4.2

$$ $8-14BrunchDiner brunch

Wagner's Pharmacy in Louisville has cooked diner breakfast since 1922, the Derby-week racetrack canteen across from Churchill Downs with breakfast plates.

OrderCountry ham, two eggs, biscuits and gravy, sweet tea.

TipWalk-in counter. Closed Mondays. Breakfast all day Sunday Weekends fill by noon.

Directions

J. Graham's Cafe ★ 4.6

$$$ Soul foodDowntown

J. Graham's Cafe in the Brown Hotel serves Louisville's original Hot Brown, the open-faced turkey-and-Mornay sandwich invented here in 1926.

OrderThe Hot Brown, served the way Fred Schmidt wrote it in 1926.

TipWalk-in for lunch. Book the Lobby Bar through the hotel for an evening Hot Brown and bourbon.

Directions Book

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